Cannabis Activates Hunger-Inducing Neurons, Solving 'Munchies' Mystery

Findings Could Lead to New Treatments for Appetite Disorders

Researchers at Washington State University have discovered a mechanism in the brain that stimulates appetite after cannabis consumption, solving the long-standing mystery of why marijuana induces hunger, commonly known as 'the munchies'.
The study, conducted on mice, found that exposure to vaporized cannabis activates specific neurons in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that regulates hunger, which are typically dormant.
The researchers also identified that the cannabinoid-1 receptor, a known target of cannabis, controls the activity of a set of 'feeding' cells in the hypothalamus, called Agouti Related Protein neurons.
Using a 'chemogenetic' technique, which acts like a molecular light switch, the researchers were able to turn these neurons on and off. When these neurons were turned off, cannabis no longer stimulated appetite.
The findings could lead to new treatments for appetite disorders related to cancer treatments, anorexia, and potentially obesity.